The Legendary Beast
by J. Phillips
Summary: Ultimecia's birth gives way to a conflict between old friends. Can Squall stop Irvine before he unintentionally destroys the world?
1. Author's Note

This story is not complete. Several parts are in italics, and the formatting for FanFiction.net does not allow "..." sentences for some reason. I've had problems like this in the past, but have decided not to mess with it. The story does not need these, although they do help with the impact of emotion. Besides, any adept reader should recognize the places they are to be used.  
  
"The Legendary Beast" was originally written for a fan fiction contest at an anime convention. It didn't place, but it certainly didn't get last, for which I am glad. I hope that, in the future, I can better my writing, and I feel I've learned a great deal from writing this story.  
  
I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feel free to review it-constructive criticism is always welcome.  
  
--J. Phillips 


	2. Bad News

Squall Leonhart's eyes opened. His brow and palms were sweaty. Quickly he tossed the sheets off his body and swung his legs over the side of the bed. The images continued to play in his head again and again.  
  
Rinoa, in pain. She was dying, and Irvine Kinneas was standing over her, shotgun in hand. Squall winced at the image, which again forced itself into his mind.  
  
He tried to think of other things, yet the first thing that came to his mind was a beautiful, but extremely evil and powerful sorceress, raising her arms and summoning creatures beyond imagining. Squall winced again as he stood up.  
  
At one time he slept in his leather outfit, boots, and gloves. It had been comfortable, but his days of youth were coming to an end, and he could only sleep in a white undershirt and boxer shorts. Anything else would make him lie awake.  
  
He managed to smile. The thought of his change in sleeping habits took the place of those frightful images. Before stepping out into the hallway, he looked at Rinoa, sleeping on the bed peacefully, and felt relieved that he had not woken her.  
  
He and Rinoa Heartilly had been wedded fifteen years earlier. Sorceress Edea, Squall's surrogate mother in a past that seemed to be another lifetime, had led the ceremony. Squall would have chosen nobody else to wed them, and Rinoa felt the same way.  
  
Each year had brought its ups and downs. Their love was strong, but Squall's position in Balamb Garden, the headquarters of an elite mercenary force known as "SeeD", managed to cause more trouble than expected. Cid Kramer had retired from his position as Headmaster, and Squall rose to the challenge of filling his shoes after he left. Rinoa had no doubt he could do it, but the tension was almost unbearable. Field missions were the worst, in which Squall was required to settle territorial disputes, fight off rebellious masses, and maintain security worldwide.  
  
He downed a glass of water, and then a second. Satisfied, he went back to bed, slipping in easily so as not to disturb his wife. Instinctively, her arm came around him. "Are you all right?" she whispered into his ear.  
  
"I didn't mean to wake you," he said quietly, as if to keep from disturbing her any more.  
  
"I don't mind. Was it another dream?"  
  
Squall nodded. "But this one was different."  
  
"What was it?"  
  
"I."  
  
He paused.  
  
"Well?" Rinoa prodded.  
  
"Don't worry about it. Go back to sleep, Rinoa."  
  
She frowned, and Squall could see that he had worried her nonetheless.  
  
"All right, but you'll tell me if-"  
  
"Yes, of course," Squall said.  
  
"I love you," Rinoa said, her arm tightening over his neck.  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
That was the last thing Squall remembered before he drifted off to sleep.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Squall and Rinoa walked down the Garden halls together. He had an old leather outfit on, and a necklace of Griever's symbol was around his neck. He shuddered every time he saw it, but it was still an emblem of pride to him. Rinoa was wearing an old favorite as well, a blue skirt that draped behind her like a small cape, with a black shirt beneath.  
  
Since Squall had been appointed Headmaster, he had made sure that each instructor and personnel of Garden had a dormitory of their own. All the students and staff of Garden lived, worked, trained and studied in Garden.  
  
Rinoa helped out where she could, usually acting as advisor and attending all the board meetings. Which was where they were headed now, at 7:00AM in the morning. Before they reached the board room, though, they were stopped by some unexpected visitors roaming the halls.  
  
"Cid?"  
  
"Hi, Squall, how are you?" Cid Kramer asked with a smile, arm in arm with his wife, Edea Kramer, as they walked down the hall.  
  
"And Edea? It's. good to see you."  
  
"Hello, Squall, Rinoa," said Edea. She, too, was smiling, happy to see the both of them.  
  
"What are you two doing here?" Rinoa asked, just as happy to see them.  
  
The smile on Cid's face faded a little. It was still there, but the edges of his mouth had drooped just a bit. "Let's go for a walk, shall we?"  
  
"Actually, we were just heading for the board meeting-"  
  
"Let's leave the board out of this one, shall we?" Cid interrupted Squall. His smile was all but gone, and a grim atmosphere now surrounded him. "We need to talk with you."  
  
"Sure, Cid, if it's that important," Rinoa said. Squall looked at her reproachfully. "We really can't. This meeting is important," he said to the Kramers, hating to reject them. "Why don't you join us?"  
  
"We need to talk about Irvine Kinneas."  
  
Squall's heart leaped into his throat and remained motionless there. Irvine had just been in his dreams last night. towering over Rinoa, who was crying out in pain. an evil glint in his eye.  
  
"He's run and done something. rather rash," Cid continued. "And I think only you two can do something about it."  
  
Squall gulped and nodded. Beside him, Rinoa was just as silent. Edea had that same grim look on her face as her husband. Irvine was in trouble, that much was for sure.  
  
"Sure, let's take a walk," said Squall. 


	3. Fisherman's Horizon

Since classes were in session, the halls were clear of roaming students. Any time they chanced upon one, Squall would immediately scold him and tell him to get back to class. And Cid would laugh. "Just like old times," he would say, no doubt remembering his own experiences as Headmaster.  
  
But that did not distract them from the conversation regarding Irvine.  
  
"He's going after her," Cid stated softly. "He wants to change the past. Or the future, whichever it is."  
  
Squall knew immediately whom he was talking about. Ultimecia, the sorceress of evil, the unspeakable, the time-twisting magic-user of the future. She had come from the future, twisting time in a sort of compressed state, and attempted to take control of the planet. After a long, grueling battle, Squall and his companions had managed to defeat her and end her menacing plans.  
  
"A girl with great magical powers was born two weeks ago," said Edea. "The powers described match my own."  
  
"Which means the baby girl is most likely Ultimecia," said Squall. "Or will become Ultimecia, sometime in the future. The same Ultimecia who will attempt to dominate the world, and the same Ultimecia who passes her powers on to Edea after her death."  
  
Cid nodded, a glint of pride in his eyes. "You know the danger already, don't you, Squall? If Irvine kills Ultimecia before she can begin her plot of world-domination, how would that affect our reality? Ultimecia greatly affected the past, present, and future. She killed many people, started a war, possessed Edea, and even passed her powers to Edea."  
  
"How could her death affect our reality?" asked Rinoa.  
  
"You know that sorceresses must pass on their powers before they die," explained Edea. "If Ultimecia is killed before she passes her powers on to me, her powers will go to somebody else. And she may be just as evil or greedy as Ultimecia."  
  
"And you will lose your sorceress powers," said Squall. "That will mean the war never existed, but it could bring about another all-powerful witch."  
  
"Exactly," said Edea. "I have tried to be fair with my powers, and have never willingly used them for evil. Somebody may receive these powers and use them for evil, for personal gain. I fear to think what could happen if those powers fall into the wrong hands."  
  
Squall nodded, realizing the enormity of the situation. Irvine had to be stopped before he brought about a second war or, even worse, the destruction of the planet.  
  
"I don't understand one thing about all this," said Rinoa. "Ultimecia came from the future. So how is it that she was born just two weeks ago?"  
  
"You're thinking about right now, Rinoa," Edea said gently. "To us, Ultimecia was born in the past. But when we fought Ultimecia, she had come from the future. She was born in the future-at the time we fought her."  
  
"Oh, I see," Rinoa said, a look of contemplation coming over her. "We fought her and destroyed her before she was even born."  
  
"Yes, that's right. Basically."  
  
There was a silence. Squall was thinking about Irvine, how he used to make rash decisions. They were older now, and surely Irvine was more mature-or was he? He was doing only what he thought best in searching out Ultimecia, but still, he must not have been thinking clearly.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
Cid's eyes averted Squall's gaze. "We don't really know. He was last seen in Galbadia, where his chain of gun shops are located, but as of now. well, he's gone." "And where is Ultimecia?" asked Rinoa.  
  
"We don't know that, either," said Edea. "As far as we've heard, she was born in Fisherman's Horizon, but we've lost contact with the city only two days ago."  
  
"Then we'll start there."  
  
"What do you mean, Squall?" Rinoa asked. "You're going after Ultimecia, too?"  
  
Squall shifted uncomfortably. What he was about to say would be difficult- and difficult to understand.  
  
"We have to save Ultimecia. If we reach her before Irvine."  
  
"We can stop this whole mess. I understand," Rinoa said, nodding.  
  
"Good thinking, Squall," said Cid. "If you have Ultimecia, Irvine will find you."  
  
"Yes, I think so. I had better go alone, though."  
  
"No, of course not!" Rinoa said. "I'm coming with you. Especially if Irvine and Ultimecia are involved."  
  
"I'm afraid we'll have to stay out of this one," Cid said. He then turned to Edea and grinned. "We've had our fair share of adventures for one lifetime."  
  
"All right then."  
  
"When do we leave, Squall?"  
  
He shrugged. He had already missed half the board meeting, and there was probably nothing else going on for the rest of the day.  
  
"Whenever Cid and Edea agree to take charge of Garden for us," he said. Cid and Edea Kramer exchanged equally excited looks.  
  
*** The Ragnarok was a dragon-shaped ship, made for flying and meant for battle. However, it had slowly become Squall and Rinoa's personal transport over the years, and it hardly saw any more action. The SeeD mercenaries had become so powerful under Squall's command that the ship was never really necessary during missions.  
  
They flew low over the ground as forests, lakes, animals flashed by beneath them. Every ten minutes or so they would pass over a city, see cars and people walking along the streets for a moment, and then the scene would vanish, only to be replaced by the natural landscape.  
  
Rinoa laughed, her hands clutching the controls. She loved flying the Ragnarok, although it somewhat unsettled Squall. He wasn't a big fan of flying, but never told anybody, especially since flying allowed them to reach their destination much more quickly.  
  
Rinoa veered the Ragnarok downward, causing a herd of cattle to scatter.  
  
"Don't do anything stupid, Rinoa," Squall said.  
  
"Just relax, darling," she said. "I'm too good at flying this thing to do anything stupid."  
  
Suddenly the ground disappeared from view and the earth was covered in water. They had reached the ocean-in another ten minutes, they would reach Fisherman's Horizon, a city that sat on a very long bridge connecting two continents.  
  
"What do you think we'll find when we get there?" asked Rinoa, steadying out the Ragnarok. Winds were picking up, causing some turbulence.  
  
"Not much of a difference. I doubt the news has leaked out. Fisherman's Horizon will probably be the same old boring place it used to be."  
  
"I'll bet it's alive with rumors. I wonder what people are saying."  
  
"Well, I doubt it's alive with anything. You remember how dull the place always was. In a way, I kind of liked it."  
  
"Of course you would. But it has to be different now. It's been so long. I'm. a little worried."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, just because of all that's going on. It's bad news."  
  
Squall looked directly at her. "Don't worry, we'll be fine. And Irvine will be fine, once we find him."  
  
She smiled and her eyes met his. "You're right."  
  
The bridge came into view, and Rinoa steered the ship to fly alongside it. Something about it looked different, though. It seemed as though there were scorch marks all over it, turning the pavement black in some areas. Squall squinted-the sun was directly in front of him-and saw a toll station blackened and charred. Looked like a fire had swept across the bridge. But the more he looked at it, the more it looked like there had been an attack. Why had Cid and Edea lost contact with the city two days ago? Squall's stomach turned.  
  
"What are you looking at?" asked Rinoa.  
  
Squall shook his head. "Nothing. Just the ocean."  
  
What had happened here? The answer sat in the back of Squall's mind, but he dared not think about it. If that had happened, then they were in trouble.  
  
Rinoa gasped. Squall looked through the front window, and immediately stood up, his eyes wide.  
  
"Oh, no," he said.  
  
There was hardly anything left of Fisherman's Horizon. What was left had been burnt and horribly mangled. There were little piles of what seemed to be sticks lying around houses. He grimaced, realizing those weren't sticks- they were bones and skeletal remains.  
  
"Sh-should we land?" Rinoa stammered, attempting to keep the fear from rising in her voice.  
  
"Yes," he said, although he was extremely worried. He had an idea of what came through here, but wasn't about to say anything to Rinoa that would make her even more anxious.  
  
She brought the Ragnarok down on the bridge itself, which was wide enough to carry three Ragnarok's side by side, if needed. They stepped down the unloading ramp as the Ragnarok powered down. A single car, its headlights still lit, sat only meters ahead of the Ragnarok.  
  
There were hardly any buildings standing. Single walls crumbled where houses once stood. They could see the mayor's house, a small, two-story building, in the middle of the city, but it had since collapsed on itself. Rinoa moaned.  
  
Squall felt anger welling up inside of him, but his trim features didn't show it. He was enraged, but managed to remain calm. "Let's search for survivors," he said. Rinoa nodded, and together they walked into Fisherman's Horizon.  
  
He did his best not to look at the crumpled human remains strewn about every where, but his eyes seemed to be glued to the carnage. It made him sick, but still he pressed on. The worst thing about it was the smell-the stench of death and decay lingered in the torn city.  
  
Rinoa crumpled her nose, fighting to keep her stomach from heaving. "Squall."  
  
Squall reached out his hand and grasped Rinoa's. "Come on, you're doing fine."  
  
She was coughing now. The smell was coating their throats, a kind of poison that slid down into their gut, causing them to gag. Rinoa's free hand covered her nose and mouth as they walked through the strewn city.  
  
"What happened?" Rinoa said through her fingers.  
  
Squall felt sick, and not only because of the smell. Something was odd, out of place. They were in danger. His instincts screamed at him to run, to get out of this place as quickly as possible.  
  
"Damn," he said aloud. "I feel like an idiot. I left my gunblade in the Ragnarok."  
  
Rinoa gave him a concerned look-leaving his gunblade was extremely uncharacteristic. Squall practically felt naked without the sword. Neither he nor Rinoa carried any weapons, which made them feel even more unsafe.  
  
Finally they reached the mayor's mansion. Squall was unsure how it had become their destination, but they had headed toward it ever since they stepped off the Ragnarok. Together they stepped inside the charred, crumbling remains. There was a hole in the ceiling and the roof was missing, so sunlight poured in like a waterfall.  
  
And the smell was gone. Squall breathed in deeply, feeling the pure air fill his lungs. He sighed in relief and heard Rinoa do the same.  
  
Although it was wonderful to have clean air, the sudden disappearance of the unpleasant odor made him uneasy. It was another item added to his list of growing anxiety.  
  
The room was battered. A spiral staircase, once leading up into the second floor, was lying in pieces on the ground all around them. Desks, photos, lamps, and furniture were overturned, broken, or shattered into millions of fragments. Squall stepped deeper into the room, broken glass crunching beneath his boots.  
  
"Careful," Rinoa said. "This house could fall in on itself any second."  
  
Squall muttered words in a strange language, then felt the magic course around his body. He turned to Rinoa.  
  
"I just cast a protection spell," he said. "You should do the same."  
  
She nodded, then closed her eyes and began saying the exact same words Squall had only moments ago. The protection spells wouldn't do much good if the house caved in, but could deter any falling debris or strange attacks. Which Squall was somewhat anticipating.  
  
A chill ran down his spine. "Maybe you should stay back, Rinoa."  
  
Rinoa stepped forward. "Why?"  
  
"It's not safe."  
  
It was more than just unsafe-it was downright creepy. The whole town, burnt and mangled, was enough to give him nightmares, but inside the mayor's house he felt an endless sense of dread.  
  
"What was that?" Rinoa asked suddenly.  
  
"What? I didn't hear anything," Squall said.  
  
"Somebody groaned."  
  
They stood perfectly still for a moment, waiting, listening. Sure enough, somebody on the second floor was moaning in pain.  
  
"Wait right there!" Rinoa called out. "We're coming to get you!"  
  
Squall pulled Rinoa close to him. "Hold on, Rinoa! We don't know who is up there, or if they're really injured. It could be some sort of trap, or it could be-"  
  
"Squall, are you kidding me?" Rinoa said. "We need to help them!"  
  
"And how do you plan to get up there? The stairs are gone." He motioned to the pieces lying around them.  
  
Rinoa walked over to a fallen desk, lifted it, and pushed it underneath the gaping hole where sunlight filtered in. She then climbed on top, reached up and grabbed the edge of the hole, and lifted herself onto the second floor.  
  
"Whatever," Squall said, shaking his head and following her.  
  
The upper room was not in good shape at all. The first floor seemed quite pleasant in comparison. Everything was overturned, lying on the floor, shattered. Unlike below, nothing in this room was still intact. Squall looked up and saw the sun shining brightly, his eyes squinting for protection from the intense light. Rinoa was pillaging the entire room, searching for the person who had groaned.  
  
She found him beneath the cracked bed. Squall rushed over to help lift the mass of wood off the man, and realized that it was the mayor of Fisherman's Horizon. Rinoa gasped when she saw the large chunk of wood shoved brutally into the mayor's gut. And the blood. It was amazing the mayor was still alive. His eyes opened, looking up at them pleadingly.  
  
"Squall."  
  
"I'm here," said Squall, not sure what else to say. This man was about to die-he wasn't going to fill him with false hope.  
  
"Everybody. died. my city." The mayor struggled with every word, and Squall feared that any of them may be his last.  
  
"Who did it?" Squall asked quietly, soothingly. But he needed an answer, so there was a trace of edginess in his voice.  
  
The mayor struggled for air. When he gasped, the breath came out raspy and gurgled from blood.  
  
"Who?" asked Squall.  
  
"Protect."  
  
"Protect who?" Squall insisted.  
  
Rinoa crouched down next to the dying man. "Squall. easy." She grasped the wood protruding from the mayor's stomach.  
  
"Don't pull that, Rinoa," he said softly, just above a whisper. "It's the only thing holding him together right now."  
  
Rinoa grimaced and nodded, a tear running down her cheek. They had both known this man. Fifteen years ago, Fisherman's Horizon had been overrun by Galbadian Soldiers. Squall, Rinoa, and their companions were the only ones who helped liberate the city.  
  
The mayor convulsed violently for a moment, his eyes wide in shock, blood trickling from his mouth. With a final sigh, his body went limp and he died.  
  
Rinoa sniffed and stood up, looking at the body. Squall came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "There was nothing we could do," he said.  
  
"I know. but." Rinoa choked out. "Squall, what happened here?"  
  
Squall just shook his head. "Let's go back."  
  
They made their way out of the house and walked steadily toward the Ragnarok. The putrid smell was still in the air, but the recent death of the mayor allowed them to block it from their minds. Together they shuffled over the rubble, kicking aside loose stones and heading for the Ragnarok. They could see it clearly now, sitting on the bridge, waiting for their return. Rinoa wasn't sure, but it seemed as though the boarding ramp was no longer down.  
  
The engines roared to life. Squall and Rinoa stopped dead in their tracks. A figure was sitting in the cockpit, handling the controls with precision. The Ragnarok slowly lifted off the ground.  
  
"Irvine." Rinoa could see his cowboy hat and long ponytail. He was still wearing that same old gray trench coat, his arms covered thanks to its long sleeves. It was a rugged old western outfit, and Irvine had all the makings of a cowboy. Especially with the double-barreled shotgun he usually carried with him.  
  
Squall sprinted for the Ragnarok, and Rinoa followed close behind. He leaped for the closest available object on the ship, which happened to be one of the landing struts. It flew upward and Squall landed face down on the ground, his objective barely out of his reach.  
  
Rinoa was at his side instantly. The Ragnarok lifted higher into the sky as Squall slowly stood up and brushed himself off. He watched as their ship flew east over the bridge.  
  
Squall shook his head. "We can't stop him now."  
  
Rinoa turned and saw the car. It was the same kind of old blue model her father had once owned-she could drive it. She tugged at Squall's shoulder and said, "Do you think it works?"  
  
"Do I think what-" Squall started to say, then stopped when he saw the car, its headlights still shining. "Oh."  
  
"Come on!" Rinoa said, making a dash for the car. She hopped in the driver's seat and Squall climbed in the passenger's side.  
  
Luckily, it had fuel. And lots of it. The needle on the fuel meter was almost to the "F", indicating a near-full tank. Rinoa shifted into gear and slammed her foot on the gas pedal. Squall rolled down his window and poked his head outside, looking up and searching for the Ragnarok.  
  
"There it is!" he said, pointing straight ahead. Irvine was following the bridge toward the continent of Esthar.  
  
Suddenly there was a slight tremor within the vehicle. Squall, his head still out the window, stopped looking at the sky and looked at the ground instead. Numerous cracks were appearing on the pavement, reaching outward like a sort of spiderweb.  
  
"What is that?" Rinoa shouted over the roar of the car as she jammed the gearshift up.  
  
"I don't know!" Squall shouted back. In truth, he had a very good idea what it was, but decided not to say anything until he knew for sure. "Go faster!"  
  
Rinoa downshifted, plunging more torque into the transmission and causing the car to lurch forward and accelerate rapidly. Squall would have been thrown from the vehicle had he not been clutching the sides of the window.  
  
His insides were squirming. It was here-he knew it. And Rinoa might have known it, too, but the look on her eyes told Squall she knew nothing.  
  
Quickly he looked behind them. Nothing, except for the bridge, which was shattering like a pane of glass. Ahead and above them, the Ragnarok flew steadily, with no change in its course. Squall muttered a curse as the car picked up to two hundred and fifty kilometers per hour.  
  
He lowered his head back into the car, wanting to tell Rinoa to keep it steady, but she knew what she was doing, and saying anything like that would only distract her.  
  
Finally, the bridge ended and they were on solid ground. The crumpled remains of Fisherman's Horizon was only a speck in the distance, and at a fleeting glance it could be mistaken for the ruins of an ancient city.  
  
Squall breathed a sigh of relief. He could still see the Ragnarok above them, heading straight toward Esthar. There was no possible way Irvine didn't see them, so that meant only one thing. He meant for them to follow him.  
  
Ultimecia awaited in Esthar. 


	4. Escape from Esthar

"Ultimecia is here?" Laguna Loire asked in disbelief. "How?"  
  
They were sitting in the presidential suite, up in the highest floor of the largest building in Esthar City, smack in the middle of the entire metropolis. Laguna was standing next to a very large window that overlooked the expanse of the city. It was late, and the city's glimmering lights shone in the night sky like fireflies. Squall sighed. Laguna knew full well Ultimecia's capabilities, but now he seemed to lack understanding of the situation.  
  
"Yes, and so is Irvine," said Squall. "Laguna."  
  
"Okay, okay," Laguna said, turning from the window and raising his arms. Although over the age of fifty, Laguna was still quite handsome, and had a certain charm around him that made him a very likeable person. Squall had thought him a loser in the past, but Laguna had since then made up for his insipidity.  
  
"So," Laguna said, crossing the room next to the couch where Rinoa sat, "Ultimecia has been born, and Irvine is out to destroy her, correct?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And if he succeeds, that could bring about another war? Or the end of the world? Or nothing?"  
  
"Exactly," Squall said, a smile forming on the edges of his mouth simply because of Laguna's sudden confusion. "It's possible that nothing could happen, but it's even more likely that another war will start, one that could be ten times as destructive as the previous."  
  
"I see." Laguna's right elbow rested in his left hand, and his right hand scratched his chin. He was in a thinking pose.  
  
Standing in the corner of the room were two of his advisors, Sora Garington and Tunis Jayaud. They were both quite young, serving as replacements for Laguna's regularly assigned advisors, who both had vacation leave. Neither advisor was much for words, and so they stood aside, allowing the president of Esthar to learn of the situation undisturbed.  
  
"And there's something else," Squall said, sighing deeply as though saying that one sentence were a great effort. "Griever is searching for her."  
  
"What?" Laguna's head flicked up, his eyes meeting Squall's. At first he thought it was a joke, but he could tell from Squall's hardened gaze that he did not mean to be humorous.  
  
Griever was the most powerful Guardian Force, or "GF", as they were most widely called, in the world. His legends spanned numerous cultures, but he was always known as the "Legendary Beast". Guardian Forces were, essentially, guardians of magic. They controlled it within the world, utilizing its existence and regulating its use. Every person born with magical abilities was paired with a Guardian Force. Not by choice, of course-the Guardian Force itself chose to whom it would swear loyalty. Squall had always wondered how Griever and Ultimecia had been paired, but when he saw Fisherman's Horizon, he knew. Griever, sensing her enormous power, had chosen her from the beginning.  
  
Rinoa gaped at Squall. "You mean it was there? At Fisherman's Horizon?"  
  
"Yes, probably. And since Ultimecia is here, it's coming here."  
  
"Didn't you say Fisherman's Horizon-" Laguna began.  
  
"Was wiped out, yes. I suggest you evacuate the city. Tonight, if possible."  
  
Garington stepped forward. "Laguna, sir. there are billions of people living here in Esthar. It would take days, weeks, to even coordinate an evacuation. I don't think Mr. Leonhart realizes the difficulty of such a quick action."  
  
Laguna, instead of silencing the young advisor, listened intently. When he replied, it was a plain statement, perhaps meant to test the young advisor's decision-making. "Griever is no simple matter, though."  
  
"But what Mr. Leonhart is saying is impossible, sir!"  
  
Now Laguna raised his hand. "Your point is taken into consideration." He turned to the second advisor. " Tunis, what do you have to say?"  
  
"I believe an immediate evacuation is possible. Esthar is always prepared."  
  
"I agree. Sora, go to the chief of security and explain the situation. Tell him to sound the alarm and commence emergency evacuation of the city."  
  
Garington, resisting the urge to make a rebuttal, gave a slight bow and said, "Yes, sir." He strode from the room.  
  
Laguna turned to Squall and Rinoa. "We have to find Irvine, don't we?"  
  
"Yes, that's extremely important," Rinoa stated. "Irvine was in Fisherman's Horizon, tracking down Ultimecia, and-"  
  
Squall's head perked up. "That's it."  
  
They turned to him. "What?" Laguna said.  
  
"That's why Fisherman's Horizon was demolished. Ultimecia was born there. I think Irvine went there, attempting to kill her. Griever destroyed the city to protect her, but somehow she was taken from there. She was brought here, and Irvine followed. Which means."  
  
Rinoa stood up. "Griever is already here."  
  
A siren wailed outside. The evacuation had begun.  
  
***  
  
Rinoa couldn't keep her arms from shaking as they ran down the long flight of stairs. It would be a long way down, seeing as the presidential suite was located on the tenth floor. The high-powered elevators weren't available simply because they were programmed to automatically shut off in emergencies.  
  
Laguna's advisors, Garington and Jayaud, took the lead, rushing down the stairs like there was no tomorrow. Laguna and Rinoa were behind them, Squall taking the rear. He felt weak and useless without his gunblade, much less any weapon.  
  
Suddenly there was a deafening roar, like a dam had burst open, and the wall to their right exploded. Garington lost his balance as fragments of the wall showered down on them, and he fell, rolling the rest of the way down the stairs and slamming against the landing's wall. Jayaud stumbled back into Laguna and Rinoa as two glowing eyes peered into the gaping hole, searching for something.  
  
Squall stood transfixed, his own eyes never leaving those evil yellow pupils that haunted the room in that instant. Nobody moved a muscle as the eyes turned this way and that, looking at one person for a moment, then moving on to the next. They could hear shallow breathing, and Squall could imagine the Legendary Beast's chest heaving and falling as it searched for its master.  
  
Suddenly it backed off, and now Squall could see its entire body.  
  
Griever was a beast that looked like a bipedal lion, floating upright. It had a red crest upon the top of its head that extended upward, almost like a horn, and its tail, long with a spiked head at the end, whipped back and forth furiously. The beast was black and had pure evil in its eyes as it gazed at them while their hearts thumped frantically.  
  
"She's not here!" Squall shouted, and those eyes flicked in his direction. He gulped and stated again, clearly, "She's not here."  
  
The breathing picked up, more heavily this time. Griever turned and vanished from the dissected wall. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
"We need to get out of here now," Rinoa said, her voice still shaky from the encounter. Garington stood up and continued down the stairs. The others followed.  
  
They had just reached the ninth floor when all hell broke loose. Griever erupted into another roar, and again the wall nearby shattered, sending chunks of the building flying inside. Squall threw his arms upward, shielding himself from the blow, then pulled Rinoa back to him. Laguna jumped down the stairs to the landing below, where Garington stood. Jayaud froze, clutching the rail.  
  
A brown arm, ending in sharpened, outstretched claws, darted in. Jayaud had no time to escape his fate as three of the five black claws punctured his chest, sliced through his internal organs, and exited through his back. He didn't even scream as blood spurted from his mouth and the claws lifted him into the air. The advisor's face twisted, mixed with pain and confusion. The others watched, mouths agape in horror, as the arm shook Jayaud's body free of the claws and sent him tumbling down the stairs. They heard two metallic clangs, then a roar from Griever, thirsting for a second kill.  
  
Rinoa screamed as the arm reached for her. Squall pulled her back, running up the stairs.  
  
"Run!" he shouted to Laguna and Garington, whose eyes were wide as they watched the unspeakable befall Jayaud. They turned and ran down the stairs.  
  
Squall looked behind him, at the eyes that were again looking through the wall. He shouted to Griever, "If you want us, you'll have to come up here!"  
  
He then turned and darted up the stairwell, Rinoa by his side. Tenth floor, eleventh floor, twelfth floor.  
  
The entire building shuddered. It wouldn't be long before Griever brought it down. Squall only hoped that there was some sort of personal transport awaiting them on the roof.  
  
They were back in the presidential suite overlooking the city.  
  
"I can't see it, where is it?" Rinoa said as they stopped, gasping for breath. "Nowhere."  
  
"Come on," Squall said, heading for the hallway leading out of the living room. Where the hallway ended a flight of stairs began, leading up to the roof. They climbed up, but before stepping onto the roof, Squall checked outside for any sign of the beast.  
  
Seeing nothing, he pulled Rinoa out with him slowly. The roof was adorned with equipment for all kinds of leisure activities. Games, sports, a swimming pool-Laguna had it all up here. Most important, Squall noticed, was the landing pad located on the far side of the roof. And sitting on the pad-  
  
"I don't believe it," Rinoa said.  
  
The Ragnarok sat there peacefully, as if waiting for them. Squall refused to stop and stare at it, wondering how it had gotten there. Instead, he quickly surveyed the sky, then grabbed Rinoa's hand and ran for it.  
  
She stumbled after him, still stiffened by the shock of the Ragnarok's sudden appearance. But she managed to keep up, even as Griever solemnly floated up above the roof, its monstrous wings flapping gently.  
  
Horrible memories arose in Squall's mind. He had once fought this beast, in his past, Griever's future, and defeated it. But that didn't mean it couldn't kill him now. "Run," Squall whispered  
  
They bolted for the Ragnarok. There was no way they were going to reach it, being on the other side of the roof. Griever leaned forward and rushed to meet them, claws extended to catch them as they ran.  
  
An instant before those claws closed around them, there was a loud crack, and a silvery flash of light shot toward Griever, plunging into its right side. Blood spilled; it roared in pain and swooped upward, losing track of Squall and Rinoa.  
  
Squall's head whipped back and forth as he scanned for whatever it was that struck Griever. He and Rinoa sprinted for the Ragnarok as Griever circled around for another attack.  
  
The loading ramp was down, and standing next to it, shotgun in hand, was Irvine Kinneas.  
  
"Irvine!" Squall shouted. "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"No time to talk!" Irvine yelled. He waved them in. "Get inside!"  
  
Griever plunged forward, readying its claws so as to tear them to pieces. Squall and Rinoa, both without weapons, scurried up the ramp. The first thing Squall did was grab his gunblade, and immediately he felt safer. Rinoa jumped into the pilot's seat and started up the engines.  
  
Squall rushed down the ramp as a second stream of light flared from Irvine's shotgun, headed straight for Griever's face. The beast dodged left and the beam of light passed it, harmless. Irvine swore loudly and ran up the ramp and past Squall.  
  
"Come on!"  
  
The ramp raised up and Squall darted back inside as the Ragnarok lifted off the roof. Irvine rushed to the cockpit, Squall behind him, and punched out one of the side windows. Quickly he raised his gun and placed the barrel through the window.  
  
"Give me a good shot, Rinoa," he said, squinting his right eye and lining it up with the scope on the top of the gun. The Ragnarok turned, and there was Griever, only several meters away from ripping the Ragnarok apart.  
  
Irvine didn't have to aim. Griever was so close that any shot out of that window would have hit it. And it did, square in the chest, causing it to roar in pain and plummet to the roof of the presidential palace.  
  
"Go!" Irvine shouted to Rinoa. "That pulse ammo will keep in down for a bit-we might be able to lose him in the clouds."  
  
Rinoa throttled the engines and the Ragnarok surged forward.  
  
"Wait!" Squall said. "Laguna, Garington! We have to go down."  
  
Irvine was breathing heavily. His light brown trench coat waved softly as the wind rushed through the open window, and he brushed aside some of the hair from his face. "No," he said. "Don't worry about them."  
  
"What?" Squall asked, shocked.  
  
"Griever's coming for us now. Esthar has nothing for him."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Rinoa asked, her voice slightly trembling. Her knuckles were white from grasping the controls.  
  
"I have what he wants," Irvine rasped.  
  
Rinoa turned and looked at him, her eyes filled with fear. And in that instant, Squall heard the cries of a baby.  
  
The crying stopped, and suddenly there was silence, save for the whooshing of the air through the opened window.  
  
"Please tell me I only heard the wind rushing through the window," Squall muttered. He was in a state of disbelief. Never had anything caught him so off guard.  
  
"No, it's not," Irvine replied. "You know what it is."  
  
"Irvine, do you know what you're doing?" Rinoa asked, her voice still shaking slightly. "Do you know what could happen?"  
  
"You've talked with Cid, haven't you."  
  
"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" Rinoa asked.  
  
"And he told you I'm going to kill her."  
  
"Yes," Squall said.  
  
"Well, maybe I am. Either way, I understand the possible consequences of my actions, and I'll take full responsibility for whatever happens. I knew Cid wouldn't understand when I told him. I knew it."  
  
"What did you tell him?" Rinoa steered the Ragnarok slightly to the left, and the lights of Esthar were no longer beneath them. Now they could see nothing but a murky substance, which in the darkness Squall could only presume were clouds. Griever wouldn't be able to find them now, which gave him time to figure out what exactly was happening here.  
  
"I only told him I was thinking of killing her, but I wasn't sure what to do."  
  
"Irvine, how did you even manage to get a hold of her?" Squall asked, the anger rising in his voice. "What makes you think you can change the future, or the past? That baby is the future, no matter how horrible it may be! And getting rid of it may bring about an even deadlier future, have you thought of that?"  
  
A smile played on the edge of Irvine's lips. "Neither of you completely understand. If you were in my position, you might. But you can't. You can't even begin to imagine."  
  
"Why don't you try explaining?" Squall said, crossing his arms. Rinoa saw the gesture and recognized it as one of authority and deviance. He used to use it a lot when he was younger.  
  
"That baby back there is my daughter."  
  
Immediately Squall's arms dropped to his side. "What?"  
  
"That sorceress in there is my daugh-ter," Irvine said slowly, just in case Squall had missed a part.  
  
"Wha.? How?" asked Rinoa.  
  
Irvine sighed. "I was on a business trip to Fisherman's Horizon. There was a young woman on the outskirts of town, trying to get in, but the way stations wouldn't let her pass. So I let her in my car. Over the next few months we got to know each other."  
  
He shook his head.  
  
".and?" Squall prompted.  
  
"Well, to make a long story short, I lived in Fisherman's Horizon for a few months, Susan and I got married, and she gave birth to. to."  
  
"What did you name her?" asked Rinoa, trying to stray the subject a little bit and ease Irvine's conscience.  
  
"Marian." He sighed again. "Marian Rinoa Kinneas."  
  
Rinoa couldn't help but smile at the name. However, the smile soon faded once she realized the most evil sorceress in the world was named after her.  
  
"We instantly knew there was something about her," Irvine said. "We weren't sure what, but I did know that she would be highly skilled in magic. She had that look in her eyes, like she knew more than she ought to have. Even though she was just a baby, I could see it."  
  
Squall nodded. "Go on."  
  
"And then I knew, I just knew what it was. It was her, and it took a while to finally admit it to myself. I contacted Cid, asked him what I should do about it. I told him I was almost thinking of ending her life-killing my own child."  
  
"And Cid thought you were really going to do it," Rinoa said.  
  
"Yes. It was a thought, but I hadn't truly considered it. That was before Fisherman's Horizon was destroyed."  
  
"Your wife." Rinoa began. "Did she."  
  
"Susan was killed in the attack. I hid, holding onto Marian. Somehow Griever couldn't find us. When you two came. well, listen, I'm really sorry about that."  
  
"No problem," Squall lied.  
  
"I had to find a way to contact Laguna. I figured he was the only other person who could help me. Once I saw the Ragnarok, I knew that you two were here and you had already talked with Cid, meaning you would try and stop me."  
  
"I understand," Squall said. "But Irvine. We would have listened to you."  
  
Irvine's head dropped. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I guess I got kind of paranoid."  
  
"That's all right. Let's just figure out what we're going to do now."  
  
"I think we had better head back to Garden," Rinoa said. "Cid and Edea will know what to do."  
  
"Agreed," Squall said. "Don't worry, Irvine."  
  
Irvine nodded. 


	5. Fate of the World

At six in the morning, before the sun had fully risen, the Ragnarok landed on the Garden's own landing pad. Three figures stepped out from the Ragnarok, one clutching a swaddle of blankets to his chest.  
  
The trio headed up to the guestrooms and Squall pounded on Cid and Edea's door. There was some scuffling, and in a few moments Cid, unshaven and only half-dressed, appeared at the door, eyes squinting. Once he saw Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, and the baby sleeping in Irvine's arms, his eyes popped open and, turning to the interior of the room, he said, "Oh! Edea, wake up!"  
  
Edea approached the door, wearing a silver nightgown. "Oh, my."  
  
"Cid, Edea," Squall said quickly, keeping his voice low, "Griever is going to be here any minute. He followed us here. What should we do with the baby?"  
  
"Whatever we do, let's not kill her," Cid said, fumbling with his glasses. They sat on his nose awkwardly.  
  
"I was never going to kill her," Irvine said. "If you had just listened-"  
  
"No time for that now," Edea said. She pushed Cid out of the door, who had just pulled a shirt over his bare chest. "Let's go."  
  
They stepped into the hallway and Edea immediately walked ahead of the group. Silently they walked out into the crisp morning air. The sun was just beginning to make its way above the horizon, its light filtering through a small forest in the east. "We need to find a place in which she will be safe, and where Griever can find her on its own."  
  
Irvine stopped, the baby held tight to his chest. "No."  
  
"We must, Irvine," Edea said. "It's fate, the future. We can't alter it, lest something terrible happens."  
  
Irvine's lips trembled. "No, I can't do it. She can't go to Griever. She can't become. become a sorceress."  
  
"If you do this, Irvine," Cid said, stepping forward, "The weight of the world rests upon your shoulders. You have to let her go. I know the bond you have with her-we once had a daughter. She was the most important thing to me, and when she died unexpectedly, I felt like a part of me was missing."  
  
A tear formed in Irvine's eye.  
  
"Don't put the world at risk, Irvine. Don't do it. There is more at stake than you realize, and your love for that child, while understandable, could produce terrible results." Irvine clutched baby Marian even tighter to his chest.  
  
"She'll be safe where I send her," Edea said calmly. "Where Griever can seek her and not do any damage, and where she can be kept safe. I promise you that, Irvine."  
  
Irvine stepped forward slightly. "All right. if you promise she'll be safe, Edea."  
  
"I do, I do. You have my word."  
  
Irvine put his arms out and Edea cradled the child. She gazed at its face for a few moments. This very child would one day go into the past and pass on her powers to Edea. It was a strange moment, in which Edea foresaw the future and past at the same time, and felt the bond between herself and the child. The others felt an overwhelming presence, as if time were compressed, as they stood and watched as Edea's eyes pored into the baby.  
  
"I know where I shall send her."  
  
Something blotted out the sun. Rinoa gasped. Irvine turned and saw the beast as it flew toward them, its massive wings beating the air. Screeching, it dove.  
  
Although surprised by Griever's sudden appearance, Squall didn't even hesitate to raise his gunblade in a fighting stance. Rinoa stood by his side, watching as Griever drew nearer. It roared, sensing the baby's presence.  
  
Stricken with panic, Irvine snatched the baby from Edea's arms and bolted for the forest. He disappeared within the trees and Griever roared again.  
  
"Edea, Cid, run!" Squall said through clenched teeth. "Rinoa, get Irvine- bring back the baby!"  
  
Edea and Cid ran toward the Garden and Rinoa sprinted for the forest. Griever swooped and made his attack on Squall, claws reaching out to slash.  
  
Squall rolled to one side, desperately trying to remember Griever's fighting pattern. Usually the beast swooped, just like it had, and then did something devastating. perhaps it cast a magic spell of some sort.  
  
Squall murmured the incantation for a reflect spell, just as Griever turned and a black ball emerged from its mouth. The ball of magic struck Squall, sending him flying backward, but bounced off his body and slammed into Griever.  
  
It was an ultima spell, a strong, concentrated ball of forbidden magic. Extremely deadly, it probably would have killed Squall on the spot. He stood up and saw Griever roaring in pain as a huge explosion wrought his body.  
  
Griever pulled itself free of the explosion and snarled. Its wings were singed on the edges and its left arm was hanging limp at its side, but otherwise it wasn't mortally injured.  
  
Squall cast another spell. Griever darted sideways, effectively dodging concentrated ball of fire.  
  
I can't kill it, Squall reminded himself. If he killed Griever, it would not pair with the sorceress and she would never become powerful. Not to mention that doing so would certainly fracture the timeline.  
  
Griever swooped again and lashed out with its tail. Squall raised his gunblade and the tail slammed into it, knocking him flat on his back. He rolled to one side as the tail speared into the ground, threatening to dissect Squall.  
  
Griever was hovering over him menacingly, readying his deathblow. Before it could strike, though, Squall plunged his gunblade into the belly of the beast. Griever roared in pain and flew upward, lacking the grace it had before.  
  
Squall got to his feet and ran toward the forest, dropping the gunblade in the grass. Griever, blood pouring from the gaping wound, chased him down, casting a spell as it flew.  
  
The spell whizzed past Squall's head and rushed into the forest.  
  
.just as Rinoa emerged with Irvine behind her. Time slowed as the powerful fire spell struck her full in the gut. She was flung backwards into a tree, then slumped, blood trickling from her mouth.  
  
Squall screamed, but didn't stop running. Griever was low to the ground, almost upon him. He heard the rumble of a car engine off to his right.  
  
Edea, driving the car, aimed directly for Griever and gunned the gas. The passenger side window was rolled down, allowing Cid to sit on top of it. He seemed to have shouldered a rocket launcher, and was now aiming at Griever. Edea adjusted the car's path and Cid fired a rocket.  
  
Griever swooped even lower to the ground, barely dodging the explosive. However, this left the beast with no possible time to maneuver out of the oncoming car's path.  
  
A loud "Umph!" came from Griever's throat as the car slammed into its side, pulling it away from Squall if only for a few moments. Squall crouched next to Rinoa, whose sleeve was engulfed in flame. She was unconscious.  
  
Using a simple water spell, Squall doused the flames and carried Rinoa's seemingly lifeless body deeper into the forest. Irvine, the baby still in his arms, followed as Cid came up behind, limping. Edea was immediately on his right, helping him into the forest. They stopped near a river that flowed through the forest.  
  
Irvine handed the baby to Edea. "You have to do it. Please, make it quick."  
  
Edea nodded, holding the baby. She closed her eyes and began to chant.  
  
Squall crouched near Rinoa, trying to rouse her. Her eyes opened slightly and she looked at him.  
  
"Squall."  
  
"Don't say anything, Rinoa." He said, looking over her wounds. She had some heavy burns on one arm, but for the most part she was fine. Probably had a concussion, but she would be all right.  
  
"You'll be fine," Squall said. "Just stay still, okay?"  
  
"Sure," she said, smiling. "I love you."  
  
Squall lightly touched her hand. "I love you, too."  
  
The next few moments happened in a blur. The trees were suddenly snapping in half, branches raining down from above. Squall turned to look at Irvine, who was holding his shotgun, standing over Rinoa.  
  
The image in his dream flashed before his eyes, and suddenly he had a very bad feeling.  
  
A protection spell had just slipped from Edea's lips, covering the child effectively, when Griever's claws pulled her legs out from beneath her. The claws tore through her body, ripping flesh and spilling blood. The baby, unhurt, fell from her arms.  
  
Squall shouted something to Irvine, but wasn't sure what it was. In the next instant, Irvine had a puzzled look on his face, as though he didn't understand quite what had happened.  
  
Three black, sharp spikes protruded from his chest, glistening with blood. Irvine's eyes were wide with shock, and the shotgun fell from his hand. As Irvine's limp body fell over, revealing the glowing eyes behind him, Squall reached for the shotgun in a daze.  
  
Raising the gun, Squall pulled the trigger. The blinding light pulsed and shattered one of Griever's lower legs. It dropped Irvine, who slumped to the forest floor. Squall was screaming, firing again and again, mostly missing and hitting the canopy of trees overhead. They exploded, and wood and leaves fell from above.  
  
Griever ripped himself free of the trees and flew from the forest. There was a final roar, one of frustration, as the Legendary Beast took off.  
  
Squall was breathing heavily. He dropped the shotgun and slumped against the tree next to Rinoa, his hand going to his forehead. Irvine's dead body, his unseeing eyes still open, lay near the river, his blood spilling into the flowing water. Cid was crouching next to Edea's body.  
  
Squall brought Rinoa, still unconscious, to his chest. Her breathing was shallow, but still she seemed to be fine. A tear rolled down Squall's cheek as Edea stood up.  
  
"Edea!" Cid said.  
  
Her eyes were hollow, staring straight ahead as she walked toward Rinoa. Her steps were slow, drawn-out. Squall clutched Rinoa tighter in fear, although he knew what was happening would not harm her.  
  
Edea reached Rinoa and placed a hand on her head. Rinoa suddenly awoke and gasped. Her whole body shuddered in Squall's arms as Edea passed on her powers. In the final moment, Squall looked up at Edea, a tear in his eye.  
  
"Goodbye, Matron," he said. In a plume of smoke her body disappeared. Cid was weeping like a child.  
  
The child.  
  
Marian was gone. Squall looked around the general area, searching for the baby or any clues as to where it had gone, but found nothing. Ultimately defeated, he put his arm around Rinoa and sighed. 


	6. The Most Powerful Sorceress

Two days and seventy-five kilometers down the river later, the residents of the Shumi Village had a visitor.  
  
The Shumis were a peace-loving race, in all ways humanoid despite two large sacks on either side of the mouth. Scientists, after years of study, could not figure out what the sacks were for, and the Shumi were never going to tell.  
  
A young Shumi by the name of Nilg had come upon the baby as it floated in the water, somehow still alive. Once Nilg had picked up the baby, he suddenly knew why it had survived. Being in tune with magic, as were all Shumi, he felt the protection spell coursing around the child, and immediately rushed her to the Shumi Elders.  
  
After a long debate and discussion (and after discovering the magical prowess within the child), the Elders decided to care for the human child, allow it to grow up in their village. And, in unison, they decided to allow Nilg to find the appropriate name for the child. It only took him a moment.  
  
"I will name her Ultimecia," said Nilg to the Elders. "For she is already the most powerful sorceress of all Shumi."  
  
The Elders nodded in agreement. 


End file.
